The sleep of Reason brings forth monsters – Goya

Weekly Resistance Action Items 12Mar2017

Suggestions/additions welcome. Don’t see your issue, event or organization? Send it to me.

Feeling burned out? See the reading suggestions at the bottom of this post.

Note: SCAM WARNING from http://roganslist.blogspot.com/: “I received a robocall today which began with a heartwarming recorded message from Barack Obama (really him), urging citizens to act to uphold their progressive values, against the gathering storm (or something like that). This was followed by a request for donations “from Barack Obama,” for a faxblast to oppose Trump’s travel ban. I am a long-time activist and a sophisticated donor, but I have to say that I was moved almost to tears by hearing Obama’s voice and thinking how great it was that he was openly joining the Resistance – how had I missed that, with all these emails?–so almost fell for this complete scam. The human who came on the line to take my donation, when pressed, revealed that this message was coming from Progressive Priorities PAC, confirmed by Google to be a total fraud. They move from issue to issue”. http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/17/politics/kfile-progressive-priorities-pac/

Sunday March 26 at 5:30 pm – 9 pm Black Lives Matter Awareness Film Event – at Black Lives Matter Vermont Store, 325 Main Street, Winooski “Part of the ongoing mission of Black Lives Matter Vermont is to provide education about racism, oppression, and white supremacy. We will show a film that tackles these issues and then host a brief discussion or lecture by one of the BLMVT leaders. Film is TBD.” http://blacklivesmattervermont.com/events/

Saturday April 8 from 9:00-3:30 Symposium for Social Justice Action Groups at Burlington High School ($20 for the public, $10 for under 25, $0 for high school students, No one will be turned away for lack of funds) Find out about current grassroots efforts in Vermont and ways to plug into this work. You will get to choose four groups and spend 45 minutes with each to learn about their efforts and how you can get involved. Over 25 organizations will be at the event including Justice for All, Baba Tree (for VRRP mentoring program), H.O.P.E. Works, Migrant Justice, CcaleoVT, Vermont Interfaith Action, Vermont CARES, Race Up, StepUP: Think. Care. Act, Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ), Human Trafficking Awareness and Activism Club, ACLU Vermont, 350Vermont, The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, GunSenseVT, Vermonters for Justice in Palestine, The Vermont Workers’ Center, Black Lives Matter, Discussing Intimate Violence and Accessing Support (for incarcerated women), and the Champlain Area NAACP. Pre-registration is requested by March 29: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfQ0XgeVcsw5DZgNk_1XKOQC49DXG6D_DZ8cU78zoILyjzrJw/viewform. For more information contact intern@pjcvt.org or check out their Facebook event. https://www.facebook.com/events/1424282180977609/

NEW ITEMS REQUIRINGACTION in no particular order – there are a lot, but that’s because I know that people are interested in different things. Pick the issue that you’re most concerned about, and take action.

Action: Call chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations CommitteeBob Corker at (202) 224-3344 and let him know that we expect him to act as well on the growing body of evidence of the Russian involvement in our election. (from http://roganslist.blogspot.com/)

Script: I’m one of the senator’s constituents in Vermont. I would like the senator to vote against SJRes 34. This legislation would overturn a Federal Communications Commission rule that requires internet service providers to get customers’ permission before they sell sensitive consumer data. It’s important to me that the senator demonstrate his commitment to protecting my privacy by voting against SJRes 34.

3 Several previous newsletters have mentioned the degree to which the DHS, ICE, and CBP are infringing on our rights. Last week, when I called Senator Leahy’s office about the article mentioned in last week’s newsletter regarding the expansion of the powers of these agencies, the representative to whom I spoke expressed ignorance of the issue. Per his request, I emailed the link for the article to Senator Leahy. But this exchange demonstrates that our representatives are ignoring our concerns about the threat to our civil liberties as the ICE/CBP is being expanded and transformed into a military force directed against American citizens. This is not ok. Now, to meet 45’s call for new Border Patrol agents, the agency in charge of this is considering relaxation of the requirement that applicants pass a lie detector test before being hired. https://apnews.com/b8fc3e49a1e949a0aa3d6daccf07a637/Border-Patrol-may-loosen-lie-detector-hiring-requirement Right now, two out of three applicants fail the test http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-border-patrol-lies-20170113-story.html

Script: I’m one of the senator’s constituents in Vermont”I want _____ to initiate a Congressional inquiry into what orders the Trump Administration is issuing to the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection to put his policy of “extreme vetting” into place. I am asking for this because I have been stopped/a friend of family member has been stopped/I have read media about people like me being stopped at the border and detained/asked for their cell phones/asked inappropriate questions.” (from http://roganslist.blogspot.com )

Script: I’m one of the senator’s constituents in Vermont. I’m deeply concerned about the proposal to relax the requirements for recruitment to the ICE/CBP. Two out of three applicants fail the lie detector test. Relaxing this requirement would encourage the recruitment of individuals who cannot be entrusted with ensuring our security. I would like the senator to do what he can to see that existing standards are maintained with regard to the recruitment of ICE/CBP. Thank you.

4 Several regulatory reform bills have passed the House. “The worst of the bunch is a bill long supported by Koch Industries and affiliated groups, the “Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny” or “REINS” Act of 2017, H.R. 26. Under the REINS Act, no agency could issue a new regulation unless it first amended or repealed one or more existing regulations “to completely offset any annual costs of the new rule to the American economy,” irrespective of whatever benefits the new or existing regulations provide. This means, for example, that a proposed safety regulation that would impose $10 million in compliance costs for regulated entities would have to be offset by somehow reducing at least $10 million in compliance costs from other existing safety regulations, even if the new regulation would benefit consumers by saving an estimated $40 million dollars in lost wages and health care expenses. The REINS Act would also require Congressional approval before any “major rule” – i.e., a rule that imposes at least $100 million in costs – could take effect. The other major bill to worry about is the Regulatory Accountability Act, H.R. 5, which enjoys support from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other powerful business interests. That bill introduces a myriad of new procedural hurdles for agencies to overcome before finalizing new regulations, and would generally require federal agencies to adopt the “least costly” option addressing the problem the agency intends to fix. Most radically, the Regulatory Accountability Act includes two provisions that would assist businesses attempting to block a pending regulation through litigation: a mandatory nationwide stay in response to any lawsuit against a “high-impact” rule, and elimination of the deference that courts have historically extended to agency interpretations of their own rulemaking authority. The other four bills under consideration are less extreme, but all share the characteristic of offering solutions in search of a problem. Federal agencies have always been directed to evaluate the necessity of their existing regulations, so they don’t need a politicized nine-member commission like the one contemplated by the “SCRUB” Act, H.R. 998, to do it for them. Given the disproportionate influence anti-regulation lobbying groups wield in the rulemaking process, it is unclear why agencies need to be restricted in how they raise awareness about their proposed regulations in press releases or social media posts, as the Regulatory Integrity Act, H.R. 1004, would do.” https://risestronger.org/newsroom/call-to-action-demand-your-senator-oppose-harmful-regulatory-reform-bills

Script: My name is _____________ and I am a constituent. I strongly oppose so-called “regulatory reform” bills that would effectively paralyze the EPA and other federal agencies from passing regulations to protect my health, safety and welfare. Koch Industries and other corporate interests support these bills because they would further delay a rulemaking process that already takes years to complete, and make it easier for special interest groups to block regulations in court before they take effect. Does Senator _____ intend to stand with other Democratic Senators in filibustering against these harmful bills?

Script: I’m _____, a constituent of Senator ______. I am calling in regards to S.J.Res.11. Preventing and minimizing natural gas waste from venting, flaring, and leaks during oil and natural gas production activities is critical to keeping our environment and local communities safe and clean. The recently updated BLM final rule better protects our air and related environmental values from the adverse impacts of waste gas and venting that can occur over the course of collecting fossil fuel resources on public lands. The BLM final rule updates existing regulations that are over three decades old. I urge Senator ____ to vote against S.J.Res.11 to keep our public lands and our country’s environment adequately protected from fossil fuel activities. (https://twitter.com/BadHombreNPS/status/833171374340448256)

7 H.J. Resolution 83, which would undermine the Safety of American Workers, has passed the House. “The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is an important safeguard for American workers. Its regulations don’t just apply to those whose jobs require physical labor—nearly all Americans who hold jobs are protected by OSHA regulations. This joint resolution would limit OSHA’s ability to cite employers who violate workplace injury and illness requirements. Currently, when an employer violates record-keeping requirements, OSHA has up to 66 months from the time of violation to cite or impose a penalty. However, if H.J.Res 83 passes the Senate, OSHA’s jurisdiction would be limited to six months after the records violation occurred. This joint resolution effectively decreases OSHA’s ability to hold employers in violation of records-keeping requirements from five years from the date of violation to just six months. This puts workplace safety at risk, because employers will have little incentive to keep records: it’s unlikely that an already over-extended OSHA will be able to catch infractions in this extremely short timeframe.” https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resources-2/2017/3/8/oppose-hj-resolution-83-which-would-undermine-the-safety-of-american-workers

Caller:I see. I find it upsetting that [Senator Hernandez] supports abolishing a regulation that keeps America’s workforce safe. This legislation decreases OSHA’s ability to cite employers in violation of record-keeping requirements from five years from the date of violation to just six months. This puts workplace safety at risk, because employers will have little incentive to keep records. It’s unlikely that an already over-extended OSHA will be able to catch infractions in this extremely short timeframe.

Staffer:This bill does not limit OSHA’s oversight; it simply reverts OSHA’s citing power back to what it was before OSHA rewrote its regulation.

Caller:Reducing the amount of time OSHA has to pursue record-keeping violations means that more record-keeping violations will occur, and OSHA won’t know about them. This very clearly puts American workers at risk. Requiring that employers keep records makes them more likely to prioritize workplace safety. If employers have nothing to hide, they should be able to keep records accurately. If [Senator Hernandez] cares about American workers who keep our economy strong, [he/she] should give OSHA the power to keep workplaces safe. That means opposing H.J.Res 83.

Staffer:[Senator Hernandez] supports American workers. This legislation will decrease the cost of doing business for employers, which creates jobs and grows the economy.

Caller: I’m a worker [or my loved ones are workers], and I disagree. Nothing is more important than keeping Americans — including its workers — safe. Will you notify [Senator Hernandez] that I think it’s wrong to support H.J. Res 83, because it makes American workers unsafe?

Caller:That’s great to hear. This is clearly an attempt by the Trump Administration and its allies in Congress to dismantle an important worker safety regulation. Nothing is more important than keeping Americans — including its workers — safe. Thank you for standing up for American workers by opposing H.J. Res. 83.

OPTION 3: DODGES / HAS NO POSITION

Staffer:Thank you for calling! I am not familiar with that bill, but I’m happy to take down your concerns.

Caller: That’s disappointing to hear — this is a very import issue for American workers, [myself/my loved ones] included. This legislation decreases OSHA’s ability to cite employers in violation of record-keeping requirements from five years from the date of violation to just six months.This puts workplace safety at risk, because employers will have little incentive to keep records. It’s unlikely that an already over-extended OSHA will be able to catch infractions in this extremely short timeframe. If [Senator Hernandez] cares about protecting American workers who keep our economy strong, [he/she] should give OSHA the power to keep workplaces safe. That means opposing H.J.Res 83.

Staffer: I didn’t know that, but I’m happy to take down your concerns.

Caller:Here’s my concern: we need and deserve protections that ensure a safe workplace. Loosening employer reporting requirements makes them less likely to prioritize workplace safety. If employers have nothing to hide, they should be able to keep records accurately. I expect [Senator Hernandez] to represent constituents like me by publicly opposing H.J.Res. 83. Will [Senator Hernandez] take this step to protect [his/her] constituents?

Staff:I will certainly pass on your concerns to the Senator.

Caller:Please do, and please take down my contact information so that you can let me know when [Senator Hernandez] has made up [his/her] mind. I’m eager to hear what [he/she] decides.

Action: Contact your Representative (for me this is Peter Welch 802-652-2450 or https://welch.house.gov/contact/email) Script: I am one of the Congressman’s constituents in Vermont. I am calling to ask him to oppose HR1313 which would allow employers to penalize employees if they refuse to consent to genetic testing.

Script: I am one of the Congressman’s constituents in Vermont. I am asking him to support HR3411/S2934 to close the gun industry loopholes that give easy access to guns to dangerous felons, fugitives, domestic violence abusers, the dangerously mentally ill, and even suspected terrorists,by failing to require a Brady Background Check on all gun sales. Congress allows guns to be sold over the Internet, at gun shows, flea markets and through private transactions, without any Brady Background Check at all.

“Support S.51 for 90% Renewable Energy and ⅓ Reduction in Energy Consumption by 2050. The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Energy is looking at a bill that would require Vermont receive 90% of its energy from renewable sources as well as reducing energy consumption to below 1/3 current level by the year 2050, a huge step towards blocking new fossil fuel infrastructure! No-brainer, right?”

“Support S.83 – a bill changing Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day. Last year, by executive order (a good one!), Gov. Shumlin declared Oct. 10th Indigenous Peoples’ Day, but ONLY for 2016. Currently, the Vermont legislature is considering bills to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day PERMANENTLY. Another no-brainer, right?”

Support “S.32 which would require climate considerations for state purchase and contracts. This was put into place this past summer by Executive Order, and now we want to put this in law. The state spends a lot of money each year on goods and services from New England businesses for everything from laptops, cleaning products, and janitorial services. By adding climate considerations, we can drive businesses to do things such as using renewable energy, divesting their retirement funds, and more!”

12 You may have heard that the National Park Service appears to have been “dinged” for tweeting a picture pointing out the difference in the sizes of President Obama and 45’s inauguration crowds. In response to this perceived censorship, several “rogue” twitter accounts have been created manned by people affiliated with the agencies in question. One of these, “BadHombresNPS” (named after a comment 45 made about “bad hombres” trying to make it across the border into the US), has created a tracker for legislation that involves the environment with scripts and contact information: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mOJ-zjAcSNeI7b7HGKzE8U26c8LTQczJk3vLUEjdYW0/edit#gid=1028168339:

Action: Contact the US House Committee on Natural Resources 202-225-2761. Script: I am calling about HJRes 46. I am concerned about the loss of federal protections for national parks. I urge the committee to vote against HJRes46 to ensure our nation continues to reap the many benefits of the National Pars and ensure they are properly protected from fossil fuel activities.

Action: Contact the US House Committee on Natural Resources 202-225-2761. Script: I am calling about HR520. The public lands in our district are incredibly important and requiring mining on them would put our National Parks and their local communities at risk. Our parks and public lands are a national treasure and we must ensure the sanctity of our public lands for generations to come. I urge the committee to vote against HR520 to keep our federal lands adequately protected from aggressive mining activities. (from https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rvDMocTGfoQaBrDxQZfpWL-DEhUG9linayOdpThF2EI/edit)

c. HR622 has been introduced to remove Federal Law Enforcement on Federal lands and provide states block grants for law enforcement. This is important because it undermines the ability of the federal lands to be maintained in a cohesive and national manner. It would likely increase illegal activities as local LEO are already strapped in many rural regions. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/622

Action: Contact the US House Committee on Natural Resources 202-225-2761. Script: I am calling in regards to HR 621. The public lands in our district are incredibly important and the loss of these public lands would be devastating for our local and state economies. The Department of the Interior estimates that $16.9 billion is spent in local economies across the country from people visiting national lands and over $600 billion in benefits to the outdoor community. I urge the committee to vote against HR621 to keep much needed revenue and jobs in our communities.

d. HR717 has been introduced – To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to require review of the economic cost of adding a species to the list of endangered species or threatened species, and for other purposes. This bill would allow economic considerations to affect the level of protection a species would receive. It completely undermines the spirit and intent of the endangered species act. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/717

Action: Contact the US House Committee on Natural Resources 202-225-2761. Script: I am calling about HR717. The Endangered Species Act is very important to myself and others. This legislation was created in 1973 with bipartisan support, with only four members of Congress voting against it. The ESA provides a wide variety of benefits to our country in a number of ways: jobs, clean air, and clean water. In a 2015 national poll, the vast majority (90%) of people support the Act. The additional burden to “review of the economic cost of adding a species to the list of endangered species or threatened species” would grind the process to a halt, and cost taxpayers millions and millions of dollars. I urge you the committee to vote against HR717 and maintain the Endangered Species Act as is.

Action: Contact the US House Committee on Natural Resources 202-225-2761. Script: I am calling about HR825 – Public Lands Renewable Energy Act. I am in favor of increasing renewable energy on our public lands. This legislation would help our state, the local counties, the federal government, AND provide funding for conservation and recreational opportunities. Further this legislation would balance the impacts of energy development, protect public lands and wildlife, and simplify the permitting process for renewable energy. I urge the committee to vote YES on HR825.

Action: Contact the House Committee on Foreign Affairs (202) 225-5021 (Note: this is a different committee than listed for the above action items) Script: I am calling about HR673. It is critical that the US continue to contribute to international research on climate change. Climate change is real, and the scientific community has come to a proven consensus that human activity has significantly affected our environment. Now is not the time for us to pretend it doesn’t exist. We have a responsibility to our citizens and future generations to make sure we fully understand the implications of climate change. I urge the committee to vote against HR673 so that our scientists can continue contributing to our understanding of climate change.

Action: Contact the Vermont Attorney General 802 828-3171 or civilrights@vermont.govScript: I am a resident of Vermont and I encourage the Attorney General to join other states in suing to block Trump’s new travel ban as discriminatory against Muslims.

Action: If you have friends in Sheldon/Swanton, encourage them to contact Gamache with their complaints; and urge them to vote her out of office.

17 The situation with Marianne Gamache demonstrates how important it is to stay on top of our representatives.

Action: Follow your representatives on social media, such as Facebook. If you see anything troubling (posts indicating xenophobia or support for legislation you oppose), 1) publicize it – share the information on social media, tell your activism groups so that they can take action, and write letters to the local newspapers, 2) complain directly to your representative.

Momsrising is collecting stories from women who worked while pregnant to fight pregnancy discrimination in the work force (Help Stop Pregnancy Discrimination!) “Background: Working while pregnant is more common than ever and being able to do so safely — sometimes with medically necessary accommodations — is such an important part of family economic security! Share your experience by answering these simple questions: Have you worked during a pregnancy? What was your experience like? Did you need to ask your boss for any medically necessary modifications to your job, like being able sit on a stool or take extra bathroom breaks? Tell us about it! We’ll compile your experiences into a book and then deliver them to key policy makers, along with the message that they must pass legislation that requires employers to make reasonable, medically necessary accommodations for pregnant employees. Here’s one experience that a MomsRising member shared: “During my second pregnancy, when I received a doctor’s note restricting heavy lifting at my job, I was demoted, paid less and told I would have to ‘take the new position or take a walk.'” – Anna, Maryland” Share your story: http://action.momsrising.org/survey/pregnantworker_stories/?t=9&akid=8864.2502493.wXCU8D

Support Momsrising efforts to pressure Congress for paid family and medical leave for all working families (Dear Congress: We Need Paid Family & Medical Leave For ALL Working Families, Not Some!) “Background: We need paid family leave for ALL working families, not just some!The United States is the only industrialized nation in the world without some form of paid family leave. This hurts families, our businesses, our global competitiveness, and our economy. Sign on to a letter to Congress letting them know that our country needs a comprehensive paid family/medical leave bill that benefits ALL working families. America’s families need a robust detail-driven paid family/medical leave policy that: Is accessible toallworking people; Offersmeaningfullength of leave – at least 12 weeks and covers the full range of personal medical and family caregiver needs established in the Family and Medical Leave Act; Isaffordableand cost-effective for workers, for employers and for the government; Isinclusivewhen it comes to defining “family”; and Allows working people to take leavewithout facing adverse employment consequences.” Add your name: http://action.momsrising.org/sign/paid_family_leave_2017/?t=15&akid=8864.2502493.wXCU8D

org is an important supporter of the resistance. (Among other things, I use it to compile this newsletter). Unfortunately, “Twitter has labeled their URL as spam. This means anyone trying to tweet anything with risestronger.org is NOT able to. Action: Twitter users send out the following message AND fill out the twitter spam form. 1) Form: https://support.twitter.com/forms/spam (click the button “I can’t tweet a link because Twitter thinks its SPAM.” The link you can reference is http://www.risestronger.org 2) The message to tweet is: @Twitter has incorrectly labeled @rise_stronger URL spam. RISE is a 501c3 & c4 #nonprofit. #Twitter – please respond. RT to spread the msg (from http://roganslist.blogspot.com/)

“For the teachers among us (and our teacher friends), here’s a great new resource for these tough times. Teach Progress is a national clearinghouse for calls to action, curriculum, news and policy that support progressive educators in taking action in their schools and as private citizens. https://www.teachprogress.org/ Use and share!” (recommended by http://roganslist.blogspot.com/)